Continuing Imagine Homes' leadership in high performance new home construction, we joined the U.S. Department of Energy's "Builders Challenge" to build homes achieving at least a 30% energy use reduction compared to a "code built" home (at least 15% more efficient than Energy Star). The DOE goal is for 220,000 of these high performance homes to be built by 2012 and we are doing our part.
Imagine also partnered with one of the Building America teams, IBACOS, to develop specifications, build and monitor actual performance of a concept home to demonstrate at least a 50% energy use reduction, but most importantly show that the additional cost to include the advanced system is more than offset by the energy savings. This home incorporates advanced framing techniques, a high efficiency HVAC system, thermal solar water heating and a photovoltaic solar system to name a few. The home was completed in July 2010 in the Cibolo Canyons neighborhood and achieved a HERS index of 40.
This means that every one of our homeowners not only enjoys lower energy costs and increased comfort, but has peace of mind knowing that these certifications and our building system help reduce energy use, water consumption, greenhouse gases and solid waste generation while creating a home of value that is ahead of its time.
As part of its ongoing commitment to move toward more sustainable building practices, Beazer Homes, one of the nation’s top-10 homebuilders, partnered with Imagine Homes to gain additional insight on environmentally-conscious home design and construction techniques. Beazer’s planning and design team leveraged Imagines’ expertise to introduce eSMART By Beazer Homes, the first comprehensive program by a national homebuilder designed to increase energy and water efficiency and improve indoor air quality, for every home it builds.
This innovative program combines high-performance products with industry-approved green building practices and is designed to have an immediate impact on the home’s annual operating cost. Available at no additional cost to its buyers, every Beazer home now includes Honeywell FocusPro™ Programmable Thermostats, GE EnergySmart™ compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), Whirlpool Energy Star® dishwashers, MOEN water-saving bath fixtures, air filters with a higher minimum efficiency rating value (MERV), and carpets and paints that emit lower volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Today, Beazer continues to work closely with Imagine Homes to identify and test environmentally-responsible, cost-effective enhancements for its eSMART program that are marketable to homebuyers nationally.
To learn more about Beazer Homes, visit their website.
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